Colorado lawmakers are advancing legislation to crack down on 3D printed firearms and ghost guns. The state's House Judiciary Committee voted 7-4 to pass HB26-1144, which would prohibit using 3D printers to manufacture firearms, large-capacity magazines, and related components. The bill also bans distributing instructions for making these untraceable weapons.

The proposed law builds on Colorado's 2023 ban on owning ghost guns, taking enforcement further by targeting production before it happens. Lindsay Gilchrist, the bill's sponsor, emphasized that ghost guns are increasingly found at crime scenes, complicating law enforcement investigations since they lack serial numbers. The legislation makes first-time violations a misdemeanor and repeat offenses a felony.

HB26-1144 still requires approval from both chambers of the Colorado legislature before reaching the governor's desk. The bill includes exemptions for federally licensed firearm manufacturers. This legislative push reflects growing concerns about untraceable weapons and follows similar federal efforts to regulate ghost guns across the United States.